Shirley Choi, one of the youngest CEOs in Hong Kong, says that her success hasn’t hinged on issues of gender, age, or tradition. Rather, she says it was diligence, daring, and the ability to deliver results that helped her sidestep stereotypes to become a leading force in China’s ever-growing private sector.

Women have made great strides in business, but their progress stops suddenly—and inexplicably—at the corporate boardroom door. Business schools must look beyond the discouraging statistics and discover just what’s keeping women off corporate boards.